Method for producing a crack resistant weld

ABSTRACT

A welding method that enables the joining of at least two dissimilar, metallic alloys to form a weld that is free of cracks is disclosed. The method incorporates a pure (99.00% minimum by weight) nickel fill-wire, integrally assembled into the joint between the two alloyed metals to be joined. The alloys joined by this method are an iron-based, low expansivity, gamma-prime strengthened superalloy (i.e., Incoloy®) and a high carbon, powder metallurgical tool steel high in refractory metal alloying agents (i.e., CPM REX 20). Welding of the joint results in the formation of a nickel rich region within the weld, thus “inoculating” the weld against cracks. The weld joint formed by the method of the present invention can be used in the fabrication of a rotating anode bearing shaft assembly for use in an x-ray generating device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/352,393, filed Jul. 13, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for producing a crackresistant weld and the fabrication of x-ray devices comprising same.More specifically, the present invention relates to a welding method forjoining dissimilar, metallic alloys as well as a fortification metal toproduce a weld that is free of cracks.

In an x-ray tube device with a rotating anode, the target consists of adisk composed of a low expansivity refractory metal, for example, amolybdenum based alloy. The x-rays are generated by focusing a narrowbeam of high energy electrons onto the target while the target isrotated at high speeds. The target rotates on a center shaft assemblysupported by ball bearings. The bearing shaft is typically fabricatedfrom a high hardness tool steel that is able to retain high hardnesswhen exposed to elevated temperatures over extended times. Due to theextremely high temperatures associated with an operating target, thetool steel bearing shaft cannot be attached directly to the target. Theconnection is established by way of a low thermal expansivity iron-basedsuperalloy mounting hub that joins the target to the tool steel bearingshaft. The superalloy retains high strength when exposed to the hightemperatures associated with the joint. The low expansion coefficient ofthe superalloy material matches closely with the expansivity of therefractory metal target, thus minimizing the contact stresses generatedby expansivity mismatch. The integrity of the mechanical joint betweenthe target and the mounting hub must be maintained throughout service,since plastic yielding at the mating surfaces between the two willultimately result in rotational imbalance and possible premature tubefailure.

The iron-based superalloy hub and the tool steel bearing shaft, whenjoined together, comprise the shaft assembly. Joining these dissimilarmaterials by a conventional welding method such as Tungsten Inert Gas(TIG) welding significantly simplifies the design of the assembly. Forexample, welding eliminates the need for either bolted joints orintermediate weld flanges. This is especially important when the designspace allocated to the shaft assembly is restricted, which is almostalways the case for a rotating anode X-ray tube where efficient use ofspace is important. Welding, unlike furnace brazing, also preserves thehardened tempers of each of the two materials, and limits annealing to asmall heat zone that is affected adjacent to the weld centerline.

Attempts to TIG weld highly alloyed iron-based, low expansivity,gamma-prime strengthened superalloys to high carbon content (>1.0% bywt.) powder metallurgical, cobalt free, tool steels results incenter-line weld cracks even when pre- and post welding heat-treatmentsare emnployed in the welding procedure. Thus, there remains a need todevelop a welding technique that enables the joining of dissimilar,highly alloyed metals to form a stable weld joint without cracks at hightemperatures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a welding method that enables thejoining of at least two dissimilar, metallic alloys without theformation of cracks. More specifically, the present invention isdirected to a welding method that allows the joining of a highly alloyediron-based, low expansivity, gamma-prime strengthened superalloy (forexample, Pyromet Alloy CTX-909, Incoloy Alloy 903, Alloy 907 and Alloy909) to a high carbon, powder metallurgical, cobalt free tool steel(i.e., CPM REX 20) that is high in refractory metal alloying agents.Cobalt free tool steels with chemical compositions similar to CPM REX20, that contain a high weight % of carbon (>1%) and total refractorymetal additions greater than 15 wt. %, are likely candidates for use inthe present invention.

By incorporating commercially pure nickel (99.00% minimum by wt.) ofsufficient quantity between the two alloyed metals to be joined andincorporating the nickel into the weld, a weld free of both centerlineand tail cracks is obtained. The weld geometry is also designed toexpose a portion of the nickel wire surface to the weld flame and, thus,enhance the mixing kinetics and resultant alloying of the nickel intothe weld. The nickel inoculant can be introduced either as a formed wireor pre-formed washer. Although the details of the present inventionfocus on the use of a nickel wire, it is not intended that the presentinvention be limited as such. Further, the addition of nickel enablesthe weld to be constructed using standard TIG welding methods.

The benefits that are achieved with the welding technique of the presentinvention are best illustrated in the fabrication of a rotating anodebearing shaft assembly of the type that is used in an x-ray tube deviceand disclosed herein below. The bearing shaft assembly comprises aniron-based superalloy hub and a tool steel bearing shaft. The integrityof the joint that connects the superalloy hub and the tool steel bearingshaft must be maintained throughout the operation of the x-ray tube,otherwise rotational imbalance and premature tube failure will likelyoccur. The superior weld joint that is achieved with the method of thepresent invention overcomes the disadvantages observed with existingjoints such as weld centerline cracks. By providing a weld joint of thetype used in the present invention to join together dissimilar, highlyalloyed metals under high temperature and stress conditions, articles ofmanufacture are produced having improved and unique thermo-mechanicalproperties. For example, the rotating anode bearing shaft assembly ofthe present invention exhibits superior properties, which include:

1. ease of assembly;

2. a tool steel bearing shaft free of the cost considerations associatedwith cobalt;

3. the retention of the full-hardness, high strength temper in both thebearing shaft and the hub;

4. a high strength hub that possesses a low coefficient of thermalexpansion (CTE); and

5. economy of design space by avoiding intermittent weld flanges.

The method of the present invention provides a welding method, theplacement of a nickel fill wire in the joint to be welded as well as thechemical characteristics of the weld both with and without the nickelfill wire. Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention toprovide a bearing shaft assembly possessing unique thermo-mechanicalproperties. It is a further objective of the present invention toeliminate the need to have intermediate welding flanges or couplingsthat would otherwise be necessary, thereby minimizing the allocateddesign space for the bearing shaft assembly within the X-ray tube.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional perspective of a rotating anode x-ray tube deviceincluding the bearing shaft assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional perspective view of the bearing shaft assemblyhaving the weld joint fortified with nickel of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional perspective view with the weld joint exploded toreveal the geometry of the weld joint and the fortification of the weldjoint with the nickel of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an optical micrograph taken at 20× magnification of thecross-sectional view of a weld joint with cracks present, which wasfabricated without the nickel fill wire of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is an optical micrograph taken at 20× magnification of thecross-sectional view of a weld joint without cracks, which wasfabricated with the nickel fill wire of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The welding method of the present invention enables the joining of atleast two dissimilar, highly alloyed metals to form a weld, which iscrack resistant and ductile. A highly alloyed iron-based, lowexpansivity, gamma-prime strengthened superalloy (i.e., Pyromet AlloyCTX-909 manufactured by Carpenter Technology Corp., Reading Pa., IncoloyAlloy 903, Alloy 907 and Alloy 909 (Inco Alloys International,Huntington, W.Va.)) is joined to a high carbon, powder metallurgical,cobalt free tool steel (i.e., CPM REX 20 manufactured by CrucibleMaterials Corp., Pittsburgh, Pa.) that is high in refractory metalalloying agents. The present invention further relates to rotating anodeX-ray tubes, which employ a rotating anode assembly and a cathodeassembly encapsulated in a vacuum envelope made of either glass ormetal.

Referring to FIG. 1, a typical rotating anode x-ray tube device 10,including the bearing shaft assembly of interest, is shown. The entireassembly is encapsulated in a high vacuum maintained by a vacuumenvelope 12 fabricated from either metallic (i.e. stainless steel,copper) or oxide (i.e. glass, ceramic) materials. The rotating parts ofthe rotating anode assembly comprise a refractory metal target 14,fabricated from a molybdenum based alloy, a bearing shaft 16 which istypically fabricated from hardened tool steel, and a hub 18 typicallyfabricated from a low expansivity superalloy. When joined together by aweld-joint 20, the bearing shaft 16 and hub 18 comprise the bearingshaft assembly 22 (see FIG. 2). The bearing shaft 16 has precisionraceways machined into its outer diameter (not shown in FIG. 2) toaccommodate the rear bearing balls 24, and front bearing balls 26, whichare axially spaced by a spacer 28, to facilitate rotation and supportthe anode assembly. A front outer-race 30, rear outer-race 32 andstationary bearing stem 34 complete the bearing assembly. The hub 18 isattached to target 14 by an appropriate number of target bolts 36 andnuts 38.

The rotating anode assembly is supported by the bearing stem 34 which isrigidly affixed at one end (not shown) to the base of the outer vacuumenvelope 12. The rotating anode assembly is rotated by an inductionmotor assembly 39 located at, and attached to, the end of the bearingshaft 16. X-rays are generated from the target 14 by the collision of ahigh energy electron beam emitted from the cathode 40 focused onto anannular tungsten-rhenium alloy track 42, which is integrally bonded tothe outer rim of the target 14. The electron beam is emitted from thecathode 40, which operates at a high negative electric potentialrelative to target 14. The negative potential across the cathode 40 andtrack 42 causes negatively charged electrons emitted by the cathode 40to drift towards the track 42 and collide with it, resul ting in x-raygeneration. The cathode 40 to track 42 spacing is maintained by thestructurally rigid, outer vacuum envelope 12. X-rays generated at thetrack 42 pass through an x-ray transpa rent window 44 located in theside wall of the vacuum envelope 12. The window material is typicallyfabricated from either beryllium, glass, titanium or aluminum, and isattached to form a hermetic seal by either brazing and/or weldingprocesses. The cathode 40 is supported by a support arm 46, which isfastened to a high voltage insulator feed-through assembly 48. The powerand high voltage that is necessary to both generate and repel electronstowards the track 42 are supplied to the cathode 40 by conductors 50.

The bearing shaft assembly 22, which incorporates the nickel fill wire52 of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 2. The bearing shaftassembly 22 comprises the following components: bearing shaft 16, hub18, and the nickel fill wire 52. In FIG. 3, an exploded view of weldjoint 20 is shown, which is formed between hub 18 and bearing shaft 16.FIG. 3 further illustrates the positioning of the nickel fill wire 52 inthe weld joint 20. Bearing shaft 16 is fabricated from powdermetallurgically produced CPM REX 20 tool steel, which has the following(nominal) chemical composition by weight:

Carbon 1.30% Manganese 0.35% Silicon 0.25% Chromium 3.75% Vanadium 2.00%Tungsten 6.25% Molybdenum 10.50% Sulfur 0.03% Iron balance

Iron comprises about 75% by weight of the alloy. The bearing shaft 16material has a liquidus temperature of 1374° C. Although bearing shaft16 was fabricated from CPM REX 20 tool steel, other alloy materials maybe used for bearing shaft 16 including, but not limited to, ASP23, REXM2HCHS, REX M3HCHS, REX M4, REX M4HS, HAPIO, and KHA33N (allmanufactured by Carpenter Technology Corp., Reading Pa.).

Iron comprises about 75% by weight of the alloy. The bearing shaft 16material has a liquidus temperature of 1374° C. Although bearing shaft16 was fabricated from CPM REX 20 tool steel, other alloy materials maybe used for bearing shaft 16 including, but not limited to, ASP23, REXM2HCHS, REX M3HCHS, REX M4, REX M4HS, HAPIO, and KHA33N (allmanufactured by Carpenter Technology Corp., Reading Pa.), Thesematerials have the following (nominal) chemical compositions by weight:

REX25 Carbon 1.80% Chromium 4.00% Tungsten 12.50% Molybdenum 6.50%Vanadium 5.00% REX M2HCHS Carbon 1.00% Chromium 4.15% Tungsten 6.40%Molybdenum 5.00% Vanadium 2.00% Sulphur 0.25% REX M3HCHS Carbon 1.30%Chromium 4.00% Tungsten 6.25% Molybdenum 5.00% Vanadium 3.00% Sulphur0.27% REX M4 Carbon 1.35% Chromium 4.25% Tungsten 5.75% Molybdenum 4.50%Vanadium 4.00% Sulphur 0.06% REX M4HS Carbon 1.35% Chromium 4.25%Tungsten 5.75% Molybdenum 4.50% Vanadium 4.00% Sulphur 0.22% HAPIOCarbon 1.35% Chromium 5.00% Tungsten 3.00% Molybdenum 6.00% Vanadium3.80% ASP23 Carbon 1.28% Chromium 4.20% Tungsten 6.40% Molybdenum 5.00%Vanadium 3.10% KHA33N Carbon 0.95% Chromium 4.00% Tungsten 6.00%Molybdenum 6.00% Vanadium 3.50% Other 0.60%

Based on this data, iron comprises approximately 40% of the alloy byweight. The melting temperature range of CTX-909 is 1395-1432° C., whichis approximately 21° C. higher than the liquidus of the CPM REX 20bearing shaft 16 material. Although hub 18 is fabricated from PyrometAlloy CTX-909 superalloy, other superalloy materials may be used for hub18 including, but not limited to, Incoloy Alloy 903, 907, and 909 (allmade by Inco Alloys International, Huntington, W.Va.). These materialshave the following (nominal) chemical compositions by weight:

Incoloy Alloy 903 Carbon 0.02% Nickel 38.00% Iron 41.00% Cobalt 15.00%Titanium 1.40% Aluminum 0.70% Niobium 3.00% Incoloy Alloy 907 Nickel38.00% Iron 42.00% Cobalt 13.00% Niobium 4.70% Titanium 1.50% Aluminum0.03% Silicon 0.15% Incoloy Alloy 909 Nickel 38.00% Cobalt 13.00% Iron42.00% Niobium 4.70% Titanium 1.50% Silicon 0.40% Aluminum 0.03% Carbon0.01%

The nickel fill wire 52 is pure nickel wire (99.00% minimum by wt.)designated Electronic Grade “A” nickel, and has a liquidus temperatureof 1440+/−5° C. While the nickel that was used for fortification of theweld was a formed wire, a preformed washer, is also suitable.

To compare welds made with and without the nickel fill wire 52, weldswere fabricated and analyzed using identical weld settings. Each hub 18and bearing shaft 16 were obtained from the same material lots. Therecommended welding method is Gas-Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) also knownas HeliArc welding, tungsten inert gas (TIG) or tungsten arc welding.Weld pool temperatures can approach 2500° C., and are aptly suited tomelt the materials described in this process. The bearing shaft 16 ismachined such that one end can be inserted into a machined hole in thehub 18 as is shown in FIG. 2. Prior to insertion of the bearing shaft 16into the hub 18, the nickel fill wire 52, in the form of a ring, isplaced over the bearing shaft 16 up against the shoulder of the bearingshaft 16 as depicted in FIG. 3. The bearing shaft 16 with nickel fillwire 52 are then press fit into the machined hole in the hub 18. Heatinghub 18 prior to insertion and, thus, expanding its diameter willfacilitate assembly. The hub 18 is machined such that the jointconfiguration shown in FIG. 3 traps the wire in the joint, and firmlylocates its position throughout the entire weld process.

To make the circumferential weld necessary to produce the bearing shaftassembly 22, the pre-welded assembly shown in FIG. 2 is rotated aboutits axis with the welding torch brought up close against the joint. Thetorch tip is centered approximately on the centerline of the joint. Itis then welded in a single pass to form the weld joint 20. After a weldis made around the entire joint, the weld is terminated by a power rampdown while the part continues to rotate. The approximate weld parametersare as follows:

Weld joint diameter 0.75 in. Nickel fill wire diameter 0.025 in. Averageweld current 80 Amperes Weld speed at joint 0.125 in/sec Shielding gasArgon Post weld heat-treatment 1000° F. for 2 h in air or inert(immediately after weld) gas then furnace cool

The Postweld Heat Treatment (PWHT) is necessary to temper the hardenedregions of the Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) adjacent to the weld located inthe Rex 20 bearing shaft 16. Without the PWHT, an underbead crack willform in the HAZ region of bearing shaft 16.

For the weld joint fabricated in this invention, a 0.025 in diameterwire ring supplied sufficient nickel content to inhibit crack formationin a circumferential weld with a diameter of about 0.75 in. A wire witha larger cross-sectional diameter will obviously increase the nickelcontent in the weld, and further enhance the ductility of the resultantweld joint.

Metallographic cross-sections of the welds were made with and withoutthe nickel fill wire 52, and are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Thecross-sections shown in both FIG. 4 and 5 are shown schematically inFIG. 2, weld joint 20. As is evident in FIG. 4, cracks are present inthe weld, which was constructed without the nickel fill wire 52. Thecrack shown in FIG. 4 runs completely along the circumference of theweldbead. Conversely, the weld constructed with the nickel fill wire 52,as shown in FIG. 5, was free of any type of cracks, resulting in astronger, ductile joint.

The results of an elemental analysis (in wt. %) performed on the weldsboth with and without a nickel fill wire 52 are shown below in Table 1.The analysis also includes the ratios of selected elemental pairs. Toreplicate the analysis, one needs to evaluate the same select group ofelements. The results shown are averages of Energy Dispersive X-raySpectrometry (EDS) scans taken longitudinally and laterally across apolished cross-section of each weld. The light element, carbon, couldnot be detected by the measurement system used in this analysis. Carbonis present, however, in the weld since CPM REX 20 contains about 1.3%carbon by weight. For calibration purposes, EDS measurements of both theCPM REX 20 and CTX-909 superalloy materials were taken, and compared tothe manufacturers nominal values (shown in square brackets). The EDSmeasurements for both superalloy materials compared favorably with themanufacturers values. The results of the calibration analysis are alsoincluded in the Table 1.

TABLE 1 CTX-909/ CPM Rex CPM Rex 20 weld + CTX-909/ 20 CTX-909 nickelfill CPM Rex [literature [literature wire 20 weld values] values] Iron(Fe) 50.7 59.6 73.1 [75] 41.4 [40] Nickel (Ni) 24.7 15.8 NA 36.2 [38]Cobalt (Co) 7.0 6.2 NA 15.1 [14] Chromium (Cr) 1.9 2.1 3.7 [3.8] NAMolybdenum 4.8 6.0 11.8 [10.5] NA (Mo) Tungsten (W) 3.7 4.6 8.4 [6.3] NANiobium (Nb) 4.9 3.2 NA 5.4 [4.9] Titanium (Ti) 1.0 1.0 NA 1.6 [1.6]Vanadium (V) 1.0 1.5 2.2 [2.0] NA Carbon (C) NM NM NM [1.3] NM [0.06]Fe/Ni 2.0 3.8 NA 1.1 [1.0] Fe/Co 7.2 9.6 NA 2.7 [2.8] Fe/Cr 26.7 28.419.7 [19.7] NA Fe/Mo 10.6 9.9 6.2 [7.1] NA Fe/W 13.7 12.9 8.7 [11.9] NAFe/Nb 10.3 18.6 NA 7.7 [8.2] NM = not measured, NA = not applicable

The elemental analysis conducted here using Energy Dispersive X-raySpectrometry (EDS) shows that the nickel content in the weld increasesby approximately 10% by weight, which indicates that the nickel fillwire 52 enriches the weld metal with nickel. Conversely, the ironcontent decreases by a similar amount. Pure nickel is ductile,non-hardenable, and has considerable solubility for most of the elementsshown in Table 1. Also, nickel is not a carbide former, and exhibits alow solubility for carbon.

A weld composition rich in nickel will be ductile, and not crack uponcooling. Hence, to fabricate a crack free weld, it is necessary to add asufficient quantity of nickel to the weld to obtain an iron-to-nickelratio (Fe/Ni) of approximately two (2) or less for systems that have acombined weight % of iron and nickel (Fe+Ni) equal to or greater than75% Experimental analysis of welds with nickel additions betweenapproximately 15 wt. % (no nickel fill wire 52) and approximately 24 wt.% exhibit, with increasing nickel additions, crack configurationsranging from complete circumferential centerline cracks (see FIG. 4) tolocalized cracks at the weld termination (i.e. tennination cracks, tailcracks). Consistently, crack free welds were obtained with nickeladditions greater than approximately 24.7 wt. % (i.e. 25 wt. %).Experimentation with various nickel wire diameters to obtain the desired25 wt. % of elemental nickel in the weld metal is necessary for weldsthat are significantly larger or smaller than the joint described here.

FIG. 3 is a sectional perspective view with the weld joint 20 explodedto reveal one type of construction of weld joint 20, and theincorporation of nickel fill wire 52 into the weld. The positioning ofthe nickel fill wire 52 ensures that it is exposed to the hot plasmaflame of the torch, becomes completely liquid, and alloys thoroughlywith the molten phases of the hub 18 and the bearing shaft 16 beingjoined together.

Analytical methods such as Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS)and Inductively Coupled Plasma/Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP/AES)can be used to determine the presence of the nickel addition in the weldmetal. Both methods of analysis will measure higher nickel contents inwelds that utilize this invention when compared to geometricallyidentical welds that are fabricated without it. For ICP/AES analysis, asmall section of the weld metal must be cut from the joint and analyzed.For an accurate ICP/AES analysis, it is imperative that the weld metal,free of the base metal components, be analyzed.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations of the present invention are possiblewithout departing from the scope of the invention, which provides amethod for fabricating a bearing shaft assembly possessing uniquethermo-physical properties ideally suited for use in a rotating anodeX-ray tube. For example, the present invention is not limited to the useof CTX-909, but may include other low expansivity, iron-based superalloymaterials such as Incoloy Alloy 903, Alloy 907 and Alloy 909. Further,tool steels with chemical compositions similar to CPM REX 20 thatcontain high weight fractions of carbon (>1%) and total refractory metaladditions greater than 15% are likely candidates in the presentinvention. Tool steel equivalents include CPM REX 25, which is alsomanufactured by Crucible Materials Corporation.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for joining dissimilar metallic alloysto form a stable crack-resistant weld, comprising the steps of: a.forming a joint comprising commercially pure nickel between at least twodissimilar highly alloyed metallic alloys; and thereafter b. welding thejoint, wherein at least one of the highly alloyed metallic alloyscomprises at least one of: (1) an iron-based superalloy and (2) a highcarbon cobalt free tool steel.
 2. The method in accordance with claim 1,wherein the iron-base superalloy comprises an iron-based, lowexpansivity, gamma-prime strengthened superalloy.
 3. The method inaccordance with claim 2, wherein the iron-based, low expansivity,gamma-prime strengthened superalloy comprises at least one of thefollowing nominal chemical compositions by weight: (a) 0.06% carbon,0.50% manganese, 0.40% silicon, 0.50% chromium, 14.00% cobalt, 1.60%titanium, 4.90% columbium+tantalum, 0.15% aluminum, 0.50% copper, 0.012%boron, 0.03% sulfur, 38.00% nickel, balance iron; (b) 0.02% carbon,38.00% nickel, 41.00% iron, 15.00% cobalt, 1.40% titanium, 0.70%aluminum, 3.00% niobium; (c) 38.00% nickel, 42.00% iron, 13.00% cobalt,4.70% niobium, 1.50% titanium, 0.03% aluminum, 0.15% silicon; and (d)38.00% nickel, 13.00% cobalt, 42.00% iron, 4.70% niobium, 1.50%titanium, 0.40% silicon, 0.03% aluminum, 0.01% carbon.
 4. The method inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the high carbon cobalt free tool steelcomprises a high carbon, powder metallurgical, cobalt free tool steel.5. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the high carbon,powder metallurgical, cobalt free tool steel comprises high weight % ofcarbon (>1%) and total refractory metal additions greater than 15 weight%.
 6. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the high carbon,powder metallurgical, cobalt free, tool steel comprises at least one ofthe following nominal chemical compositions by weight: (a) 1.30% carbon,0.35% manganese, 0.25% silicon, 3.75% chromium, 2.00% vanadium, 6.25%tungsten, 10.50% molybdenum, 0.03% sulfur, balance iron; (b) 1.80%carbon, 4.00% chromium, 12.50% tungsten, 6.50% molybdenum, 5.00%vanadium; (c) 1.00% carbon, 4.15% chromium, 6.40% tungsten, 5.00%molybdenum, 2.00% vanadium, 0.25% sulphur; (d) 1.30% carbon, 4.00%chromium, 6.25% tungsten, 5.00% molybdenum, 3.00% vanadium, 0.27%sulphur; (e) 1.35% carbon, 4.25% chromium, 5.75% tungsten, 4.50%molybdenum, 4.00% vanadium, 0.06% sulphur; (f) 1.35% carbon, 4.25%chromium, 5.75% tungsten, 4.50% molybdenum, 4.00% vanadium, 0.22%sulphur; (g) 1.35% carbon, 5.00% chromium, 3.00% tungsten, 6.00%molybdenum, 3.80% vanadium; (h) 1.28% carbon, 4.20% chromium, 6.40%tungsten, 5.00% molybdenum, 3.10% vanadium; and (i) 0.95% carbon, 4.00%chromium, 6.00% tungsten, 6.00% molybdenum, 3.50% vanadium, 0.60% other.7. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein welding the jointcomprises Tungsten Inert Gas welding at about 80 Amperes (averagecurrent) and a weld speed of about 0.125 in/sec.
 8. The method inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the weld nickel comprises a formedwire.
 9. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the weld nickelcomprises a preformed washer.
 10. The method in accordance with claim 1,wherein the commercially pure nickel comprises 99.00% minimum nickel byweight.
 11. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the weldcomprises a sufficient quantity of the nickel to obtain aniron-to-nickel ratio (Fe/Ni) of approximately 2 or less for systems thathave a combined weight % of iron and nickel equal to or greater than 75%as determined by EDS analysis.
 12. The method in accordance with claim1, wherein the weld comprises approximately 25 weight % nickel asdetermined by EDS analysis.
 13. A method for joining dissimilar metallicalloys to form a stable weld, comprising the steps of: a. forming ajoint comprising commercially pure nickel between at least twodissimilar metallic alloys, at least one of the metallic alloyscomprising an iron-based, low expansivity, gamma-prime strengthenedsuperalloy, and at least one of the metallic alloys comprising a highcarbon, powder metallurgical, cobalt free tool steel superalloy; b.welding the joint; and thereafter c. tempering the weld via post weldheat treatment to temper hardened regions of a heat affected zoneproximate the weld.
 14. The method in accordance with claim 13, hereinthe iron-based, low expansivity, gamma-prime strengthened superalloycomprises at least one of the following nominal chemical compositions byweight: (a) 0.06% carbon, 0.50% manganese, 0.40% silicon, 0.50%chromium, 14.00% cobalt, 1.60% titanium, 4.90% columbium+tantalum, 0.15%aluminum, 0.50% copper, 0.012% boron, 0.03% sulfur, 38.00% nickel,balance iron; (b) 0.02% carbon, 38.00% nickel, 41.00% iron, 15.00%cobalt, 1.40% titanium, 0.70% aluminum, 3.00% niobium; (c) 38.00%nickel, 42.00% iron, 13.00% cobalt, 4.70% niobium, 1.50% titanium, 0.03%aluminum, 0.15% silicon; and (d) 38.00% nickel, 13.00% cobalt, 42.00%iron, 4.70% niobium, 1.50% titanium, 0.40% silicon, 0.03% aluminum,0.01% carbon.
 15. The method in accordance with claim 13, wherein thehigh carbon, powder metallurgical, cobalt free tool steel comprises highweight % of carbon (>1%) and total refractory metal additions greaterthan 15 weight %.
 16. The method in accordance with claim 13, whereinthe high carbon, powder metallurgical, cobalt free, tool steel comprisesat least one of the following nominal chemical compositions by weight:(a) 1.30% carbon, 0.35% manganese, 0.25% silicon, 3.75% chromium, 2.00%vanadium, 6.25% tungsten, 10.50% molybdenum, 0.03% sulfur, balance iron;(b) 1.80% carbon, 4.00% chromium, 12.50% tungsten, 6.50% molybdenum,5.00% vanadium; (c) 1.00% carbon, 4.15% chromium, 6.40% tungsten, 5.00%molybdenum, 2.00% vanadium, 0.25% sulphur; (d) 1.30% carbon, 4.00%chromium, 6.25% tungsten, 5.00% molybdenum, 3.00% vanadium, 0.27%sulphur; (e) 1.35% carbon, 4.25% chromium, 5.75% tungsten, 4.50%molybdenum, 4.00% vanadium, 0.06% sulphur; (f) 1.35% carbon, 4.25%chromium, 5.75% tungsten, 4.50% molybdenum, 4.00% vanadium, 0.22%sulphur; (g) 1.35% carbon, 5.00% chromium, 3.00% tungsten, 6.00%molybdenum, 3.80% vanadium; (h) 1.28% carbon, 4.20% chromium, 6.40%tungsten, 5.00% molybdenum, 3.10% vanadium; and (i) 0.95% carbon, 4.00%chromium, 6.00% tungsten, 6.00% molybdenum, 3.50% vanadium, 0.60% other.17. The method in accordance with claim 13, wherein welding the jointcomprises Tungsten Inert Gas welding at about 80 Amperes (averagecurrent) and a weld speed of about 0.125 in/sec.
 18. The method inaccordance with claim 13, wherein the nickel comprises a formed wire.19. The method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the nickel comprisesa preformed washer.
 20. The method in accordance with claim 13, whereinthe commercially pure nickel comprises 99.00% minimum nickel by weight.21. The method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the joint comprisesa sufficient quantity of the nickel to obtain an iron-to-nickel ratio(Fe/Ni) in the weld of approximately 2 or less for systems that have acombined weight % of iron and nickel equal to or greater than 75% asdetermined by EDS analysis.
 22. The method in accordance with claim 13,wherein the joint comprises approximately 25 weight % nickel asdetermined by EDS analysis.
 23. The method in accordance with claim 13,wherein tempering the weld via post weld heat treatment comprisestreating the weld in a furnace at a temperature of at least 1000° F. forat least two hours, and then cooling the furnace.
 24. The method inaccordance with claim 13, wherein the formed wire comprises a diameterof at least 0.025 inches when the weld being formed has acircumferential weld diameter of about 0.75 inches.
 25. The method inaccordance with claim 1, further comprising: c. tempering the weld viapost weld heat treatment.
 26. The method in accordance with claim 25,wherein tempering the weld via post weld heat treatment comprisestreating the weld in a furnace at a temperature of at least 1000° F. forat least two hours, and then cooling the furnace.
 27. The method inaccordance with claim 8, wherein the formed wire comprises a diameter ofat least 0.025 inches when the weld being formed has a circumferentialweld diameter of about 0.75 inches.
 28. A method for joining dissimilarmetallic alloys to form a stable crack-resistant weld, comprising thesteps of: a. forming a joint comprising commercially pure nickel betweenat least two dissimilar highly alloyed metallic alloys; and thereafterb. welding the joint, wherein at least one of the highly alloyedmetallic alloys comprises a high carbon, powder metallurgical, cobaltfree tool steel that comprises greater than about 1 weight % of carbonand total refractory metal additions greater than about 15 weight %. 29.The method in accordance with claim 28, wherein at least one of thehighly alloyed metallic alloys comprises an iron-based, low expansivity,gamma-prime strengthened superalloy.
 30. The method in accordance withclaim 29, wherein the iron-based, low expansivity, gamma-primestrengthened superalloy comprises at least one of the following nominalchemical compositions by weight: (a) 0.06% carbon, 0.50% manganese,0.40% silicon, 0.50% chromium, 14.00% cobalt, 1.60% titanium, 4.90%columbium+tantalum, 0.15% aluminum, 0.50% copper, 0.012% boron, 0.03%sulfur, 38.00% nickel, balance iron; (b) 0.02% carbon, 38.00% nickel,41.00% iron, 15.00% cobalt, 1.40% titanium, 0.70% aluminum, 3.00%niobium; (c) 38.00% nickel, 42.00% iron, 13.00% cobalt, 4.70% niobium,1.50% titanium, 0.03% aluminum, 0.15% silicon; and (d) 38.00% nickel,13.00% cobalt, 42.00% iron, 4.70% niobium, 1.50% titanium, 0.40%silicon, 0.03% aluminum, 0.01% carbon.
 31. The method in accordance withclaim 28, wherein the joint after welding comprises a sufficientquantity of the nickel to obtain an iron-to-nickel ration (Fe/Ni) ofapproximately 2 or less for systems that have a combined weight % oriron and nickel equal to or greater than 75% as determined by EDSanalysis.
 32. The method in accordance with claim 28, wherein the highcarbon, powder metallurgical, cobalt free tool steel comprises at leastone of the following nominal chemical compositions by weight: (a) 1.30%carbon, 0.35% manganese, 0.25% silicon, 3.75% chromium, 2.00% vanadium,6.25% tungsten, 10.50% molybdenum, 0.03% sulfur, balance iron; (b) 1.80%carbon, 4.00% chromium, 12.50% tungsten, 6.50% molybdenum, 5.00%vanadium; (c) 1.00% carbon, 4.15% chromium, 6.40% tungsten, 5.00%molybdenum, 2.00% vanadium, 0.25% sulphur; (d) 1.30% carbon, 4.00%chromium, 6.25% tungsten, 5.00% molybdenum, 3.00% vanadium, 0.27%sulphur; (e) 1.35% carbon, 4.25% chromium, 5.75% tungsten, 4.50%molybdenum, 4.00% vanadium, 0.06% sulphur; (f) 1.35% carbon, 4.25%chromium, 5.75% tungsten, 4.50% molybdenum, 4.00% vanadium, 0.22%sulphur; (g) 1.35% carbon, 5.00% chromium, 3.00% tungsten, 6.00%molybdenum, 3.80% vanadium; (h) 1.28% carbon, 4.20% chromium, 6.40%tungsten, 5.00% molybdenum, 3.10% vanadium; and (i) 0.95% carbon, 4.00%chromium, 6.00% tungsten, 6.00% molybdenum, 3.50% vanadium, 0.60% other.33. The method in accordance with claim 28, wherein welding the jointcomprises Tungsten Inert Gas welding at about 80 Amperes (averagecurrent) and a weld speed of about 0.125 in/sec.
 34. The method inaccordance with claim 28, wherein the weld nickel comprises a formedwire.
 35. The method in accordance with claim 28, wherein the weldnickel comprises a preformed washer.
 36. The method in accordance withclaim 28, herein the commercially pure nickel comprises 99.00% minimumnickel by weight.
 37. The method in accordance with claim 28, whereinthe joint comprises approximately 25 weight % nickel as determined byEDS analysis.